Lu Qinghe and the other man wore sympathetic expressions. Having failed to purchase pills this time, it would take them several more years to accumulate enough Spirit Stones for another trip to Qingyun Immortal Market.
The man from earlier spoke: “Keep saving, Fellow Daoist. The day will come when you can buy Yellow Dragon Pills.”
He cupped his hands. “I’ll hold you to those auspicious words, Fellow Daoist. I hope for such a day as well.”
In his heart, he had already abandoned hope for the Yellow Dragon Pill. Counting the travel fare, he needed at least ten Spirit Stones or more-years of painstaking accumulation.
By then, even the Yellow Dragon Pill might not be enough to push him through. He would crumble into a handful of yellow earth before his hundredth year, life ended and Dao vanished.
“Another Fellow Daoist has returned.”
The three looked over. Another figure approached.
Seeing them, the newcomer cupped his hands. “Three Fellow Daoists-I didn’t expect anyone to return before this Li.”
After exchanging greetings, he found a spot and waited in silence.
As the appointed time drew near, people trickled back one by one.
Some wore bright expressions, clearly having obtained what they sought. Once they returned, they might well take another step forward on the immortal path.
Others hung their heads, five Spirit Stones spent for nothing.
When the time arrived, Qian Hai finally appeared, unhurried. He took in everyone’s expressions at a glance.
He addressed the group: “Junior Brothers who found your Fated Chance-congratulations. It may not be long before we meet again in the Outer Sect.
Those who didn’t find what they needed, don’t lose heart. I come to Qingyun Immortal Market every half year to make purchases. When the time comes, contact Haifu if you have need.”
Everyone clasped their hands. “Thank you, Senior Brother.”
Only then did Qian Hai lead them away from Qingyun Immortal Market, heading back toward Taixuan Sect.
After traveling several dozen li, the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth-previously calm-began to ripple with faint instability.
Several white clouds drifted steadily closer to the Flying Boat’s position.
Everyone noticed the anomaly. Alertness sharpened their gazes. Trouble had found them.
The Li-surnamed cultivator called out to Qian Hai, who sat cross-legged at the bow with his eyes closed.
“Senior Brother Qian-have we been marked by Robbery Cultivators?”
Robbery Cultivators. In the cultivation world, they were despised second only to Demonic Cultivators. They killed to seize treasures, committed every evil imaginable, and grew stronger by plundering and slaughtering fellow cultivators.
This was one of the gravest dangers of traveling beyond sect grounds. Once Robbery Cultivators set their sights on you, a moment’s carelessness meant your Storage Bag taken and your life ended, Dao vanished. Get faster updates on novelping dot com.
Qian Hai opened his eyes at the bow. His expression did not change. Only after hearing the Li-surnamed cultivator’s warning did he stir.
He spoke to the anxious group: “Rest easy, Junior Brothers. Since I promised to see you safely home, I will not break that oath.”
He turned his gaze toward the distance. He had encountered this sort of thing countless times.
“Hear me-Taixuan Sect passes through. Fellow Daoists with no grievance, kindly make way.”
His voice, laced with Magic Power, rolled outward like distant thunder in every direction. The white clouds shuddered once, then drifted away toward the horizon.
Seeing them withdraw, Qian Hai settled back at the bow and drove the Flying Boat onward.
After the Flying Boat vanished from sight, those white clouds reappeared.
A cultivator with a savage face stepped out from one of them, glaring viciously in the direction the vessel had gone.
“Arrogant bastards. What’s so great about Taixuan Sect? That kind of arrogance will get them destroyed sooner or later.”
Another cloud floated past. A mocking voice drifted from within: “Whether Taixuan Sect gets destroyed, I couldn’t say. But if you’re blind enough to provoke them, Li Datou, you’ll be the one destroyed without question.”
“Before the three great Sects, you don’t even rank as an ant.”
Li Datou glared up at the cloud overhead and drew a long saber. “Xue Wudao! You want to test whether my blade still cuts?”
The voice from the cloud came back, unhurried: “Li Datou, you and I are both at Qi Condensation sixth layer. You can’t do a thing to me.
If you’ve got the nerve, chase down those Taixuan Sect disciples. Perhaps the spoils would push you through to Qi Condensation seventh layer.
If that day comes, I’ll bow my head and call you master.”
Li Datou shot one last venomous glare at the cloud, then turned and left without looking back.
He wasn’t that stupid. Setting aside whether he could even match the Taixuan Sect cultivator on that Flying Boat-
Sect disciples commanded techniques and Dharma Treasures that Rogue Cultivators like him could never hope to rival. At equal cultivation, a Rogue Cultivator stood no chance against a Sect disciple.
Even if he dared strike, even if he somehow killed a Taixuan Sect cultivator-within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, more would descend on him and grind him to dust.
From the cloud behind him came wild, taunting laughter: “So Li Datou is a coward after all!”
The words had barely faded before a long blade slashed through the void. In an instant, the two erupted into furious combat.
Taixuan Sect’s name carried weight for a hundred li in every direction. No one dared move against them-at least, no one dared do so openly.
And so Qian Hai brought everyone safely back to Taixuan Sect, alarmed but unharmed. Before parting, he addressed the group one last time.
“Junior Brothers-in half a year, if anyone wishes to visit Qingyun Immortal Market again, prepare five Spirit Stones.”
Everyone cupped their hands. “We’ll seek Senior Brother out when the time comes.”
Only then did Qian Hai walk off toward the Outer Sect.
Watching his figure disappear, every eye held envy. Outer Sect Disciple-that was the goal they all strove toward.
They believed the day would come when they too could enter the Outer Sect. Especially those who had purchased pills. For them, that day would not be far.
Lu Qinghe shared the same thought. He needed to reach the Outer Sect as quickly as possible. Only there could he obtain the cultivation methods for Qi Condensation fourth layer and beyond.
Otherwise, his cultivation would stall at the fourth layer with nowhere left to advance.
Beyond that, becoming an Outer Sect Disciple meant he would no longer need to fear persecution and bullying. He would gain the freedom to leave Taixuan Sect and trade for cultivation resources at the immortal markets.
The group exchanged cupped-hand farewells and dispersed back toward the Menial Disciples’ courtyard.
Lu Qinghe returned to his own courtyard, to his own room.
It had been over a year since he last set foot here. A thick layer of dust blanketed everything.
But Lu Qinghe’s gaze caught something-unfamiliar footprints pressed into the dust on the ground.
He thought for a moment and understood. Zhou Tong had come looking for him. Only Zhou Tong could bypass the courtyard’s restrictions and walk in freely.
Lu Qinghe did not bother cleaning the courtyard. He walked into the cave dwelling, and in a flash, vanished from sight. He entered the Black Soil Space.
Not long after, a figure appeared in the small courtyard. Zhou Tong’s spiritual sense swept the area-and found no trace of Lu Qinghe.
Zhou Tong cursed under his breath. “Cunning little wretch. He must have noticed something and fled.”
He had placed a secondary restriction on Lu Qinghe’s courtyard ward. The moment it was disturbed, he would know at once.
He hadn’t expected to find the place empty.
He couldn’t fathom how a boy so young could possess such wary instincts.
“Let’s see where you can run to today.”
He was certain Lu Qinghe couldn’t have gone far. He left the courtyard in haste and began searching the surrounding area.